Pick-key for stringed instruments.



No. 649,964. Patented May 22, l900i J. C. ST. JOHN. M

PICK KEY FOR STBINGED INSTRUMENTS.

plication filed June 13, 1899 (No Model.)

7o7crc 050 51 010.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

Jenn o. s'r. JOHN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD K;HARRIS, OF SAME PLACE;

PICK-KEY FOR STRINGED, INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,964, dated May 22,1900.

Application filed June 13, 1899. Serial No. 720,852. N -l To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN 0. ST. JOHN, of Boston, county of Suffolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pick-Keys forStringed Instruments, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like letters on thedrawings representing like parts. H j

My invention is a pick-key attachment for stringed instruments, beingparticularly adapted for citherns and similar instruments.

Usually instruments of the kind referred to are picked by the fingers orby an instrument carried by the fingers; but I have found thatgreatly-increased Variety and beauty may be given to these instrumentsby providing them, in addition to their usual construction, with meanswhereby the keys may be separately played .or picked by keys operated ina keyway, somewhat as in a piano; and accordingly my present inventionconsists of a peculiar key whereby the strings may be picked without anymetallic discordant sound and the vibration thereof controlled, my keyalso being so constructed that no false picks can take place on thereturn movements thereof.

In carrying out my invention I provide a key preferably of the plungertype and arrange thereon a pick device which automatically projects intothe path of the string as the key descends and then having picked thestring returns out of the path of the string as the key rises, the keyalso preferably carrying an automatic damper, which damps the Vibrationsof the string as soon as the key reaches its normal raised position andprevents all jar and noise of the key upon its return.

The details of my invention will appear more fully in the course of thefollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,illustrative of a preferred form of my invention, and the latter will bemore particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a fragmentary portionof a cithern constructed. with a keyboard provided with my specialpick-key. Figs. 2 and 3 show the key respectively in end elevation andin side ele'- vation in raised position. Fig. 4c is a verticallongitudinal section of the key, taken on the line 4. 4:, Fig. 3. Figs.5 and 6 are diagrammatic views,slightly exaggerated,showing the variouspositions assumed in the movement of the key.

The base a and strings a may be of any desired construction suitable forthe particular kind of instrument. Conveniently supported at the end ofthe musical instrument, preferably in a keyboard I), are the desirednumber of pick-keys, there being, if desired, a key for each string.These keys are herein shown as slidingly mounted in the keyboard attheir upper ends and permanently secured at their lower ends in the base(1.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 4, wherein the detailed construction of thekey is shown, it will be seen that the key comprises a body portion orplunger and a post 70 the plunger or movable part of the key beingslitted at its upper end at k to receive a transverse pin 76, extendingthrough the post for the purpose of preventing relative axial rotation,and the plunger being provided at its upper end for convenience with athumb-piece 70 by which it may be depressed. On the post 70 1 mount alower spring 76 and an upper spring 70 between which slid es on the posta perforated ear 70 of a pick device is". The upper end of the pick isoutwardlycurved, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and rests at itsfree end against a beveled portion lo of the plunger is, the saidbeveled portion of the plunger and said vertical part 7c of the pickbeing parallel to the adjacent string a. The result of this constructionis that when the plunger is depressed the first movement thereof wedgesthe free end of the upright 20 outwardly slightly and thereby instantlycauses the portion 70 of the pick to bind on the post W, said portion 10preferably having an enlargement or considerable thickness, as indicatedat 70 so as to give larger frictional bearing. This initial movementhaving taken place, as stated, and the plunger having descended as muchas the depression of the Spring 70 will permit, the free end of the pickis thereby 100 projected into alinement with the string a, so thatfurther downward movement of the plunger depresses the pick intoengagement with the string and picks the latter as desired, thisdownward movement being effected against the resiliency of the spring75, and when the plunger is allowed to lift these operations arereversed, as will presently'be described.

At one side of the plunger and in aposition to normally engage theunderside of the adjacent string is a damper 7a to deaden and stop thevibrations ofthestring, which may have just been struck or picked, thisdamper being composed of a pin covered with a suitable substance, suchas rubber or felt. Besides performing its function as a damper thedevice 70 also serves in connection with the pin 70 to limit the upwardmovement of the plunger and maintain the parts in their proper operativeposition, a further very important purpose of the damper being'toprevent the key from making any noise when it returns suddenly.

I desire at this point to make it clearly understood that while I havedescribed my invention in all of the details shown yet I am. aware thatvery many substitutions may be made without departing in any true sensefrom my invention. For example, various other devices may be used forlimiting the upward movement of the plunger, and the peculiar in-and-outmovement of the free end of the pick may be accomplished in various waysother than that shown, and also while I prefer to use a light spring anda heavier spring 70 this is not essential, nor is it essential that oneshould be greater than the other, and while the plunger is shown assliding over the post 75 any other means for securing the desiredrelative movement may be used.

The operation of my pick-key is as follows: WVhen the plunger is firstdepressed, the initial movement, as already explained, throws out thefree end of the pick sufficiently to prevent its readily slipping on thepost 70 so that the spring k is entirely compressed, thereby permittingthe full action of the cam-surface It to act on the pick end 70 beforethe pick is lowered or forced down on the post 70*, the result beingthat the cam surface 7a projects the pick into the position 2, Fig.5,with the free end thereof overhanging the string in position to pickthe same with the required force. The parts being in this position,further depression of the plunger serves to push the pick forcibly downinto the position 3, Fig. (3, thereby picking the string and at the sametime carrying the pick out of engagement therewith. Having picked thestring, as stated, the operator thereupon releases his finger from thekey and the initial upward movement thereof causes the cam-face [a ofthe plunger to slide up on the pick, due to the action of the spring kso that the parts assume the relative position 4, Fig. 6, and thereuponboth springs cooperate in maintaining the parts in said position, whileat the same time raising both the plunger and pick into their originalposition until the plunger is stopped and the damper 70 engages thestring, so as to stop its vibration. In this kind of instrument it isrequisite that there should be no rattling or jarring of parts, inasmuchas the music is of such a delicate character that any such for eignsounds would be extremely objectionable, and it will be observed thatthe parts of my pick-key, as above described, are at all times in suchrelative positions that no rattlin g can occur, and also the damperoperated, as stated, to prevent any noise which might occur by thesudden rising. Also the construction and operation are exceedinglysimple when properly understood, and the picking of the string andstopping of the vibrations thereof are instantaneous and both under thecomplete control of the operator, while at the same time there is nopossibility of catching the string and picking it on the upward orreturn movement of the key.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a stringed instru ment of the characterdescribed, of a pickkey mounted in said instrument, said pickkeycomprising a stationary part and a mov able part, and a pick in the formof a spring, one of said parts serving to retain and guide said pick,and the other of said parts serving to actuate said pick, the pick beingsprung in and out by the movement of said movable part, substantially asdescribed.

2-. A pick -key for musical instruments,- comprising a perforatedplunger, a post extending therein, a pick sliding on said post,- acam-surface on said plunger cooperating with said pick to move the samein and out as required, and yielding means controlling the position ofsaid pick on said post, substantially as described.

3. A pick-key for a musical instrument comprising a stationary part, aplunger mov able relatively thereto, a pick, automatic means cooperatingwith the movement of said plunger for throwing said pick into operativeand inoperative position as required, and a damper carried by saidplunger and projecting into the path of the string, substantially asdescribed.

4. A pick-key for a musical instrument comprising a plunger, a pick, apost to guide said pick, and springs for controlling the movement of thepick, said plunger having an inclined face or cam-surface on which thefree end of said pick bears, and a damper at the side of said pick inposition to engage the string when the plunger is in normal position,substantially as described.

5. A pick key for a musical instrument comprising a plunger, a pick, apost to guide said pick, and springs on said post, one above name tothis Specification in the presence of and one be1cf w lsaid pick, 31clontrolling the two subsc'iibing Witnesses. movement 0 t e pick, sai punger having an inclined face or cam-surface on which the O JOHN 5 freeend of said pick bears, substantially as Witnesses:

described. GEO. H. MAXWELL,

In testimony whereof I have signed my FREDERICK L. EMERY.

